The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-04-16
Woman Suffrage.


A well-attended meeting was held yester-
day afternoon at o'clock in the vestry of
the Chestnut Street Church under the aus
pices of the Maine Woman Suffrage Associa-
ton.
The president Rev. Henry Blanchard,
occupied the chair. In his opening re-
marks he stated that a list of % new
members in Portland had been handed in by
Miss Charlotte Thomas and list of "a 9TH
ers had been sentin from Saco by Mrs
Sarah +. Hamilton. He spoke briefly con-
corning the causes of the defeat in Rhode
Island and of the woman voters in Kansas.
distinguished gentleman had recently
spoken to him of the growing popularity of
the cause. Patience and courage, however,
will always be needed. In introducing the
| speakers of the afternoon, Mr.. Blanchard
eulogized their good work in Portland and
affectionately voiced the regrets of many
friends at their departure.
Mrs. j. w. Bashford then delivered brief
address. She was very busy in packing for
removal, but she was always ready to speak
for woman suffrage In any press of cares
| she felt she would always be ready to vote.
She. was never discouraged-not even for
half moment. She believed that the cause
was Gods cause and, therefore. it must pre-
| vail. She had heard of man who wished
to be rich, but his wife did not share his
wish. Time passed blythe man became
rich, but the woman felt only "comforta-
ble." So It would be in political life. The
men would consider certain attachments
riches which would only be Comfortable
ness to women. For women would GER
talnly demand more in political life than
men.
Mrs. 0sgood, corresponding secretary, read
letter from Kansas in which encouraging
accounts were given of woman there. Mr.
Blanchard then introduced Rev. DIR. Bash
lord who delivered an able and earnest ad-
dress.
Mr.. Bashford first summarized the Bible
argument In favor OF equal OPP pertupities for
both sexes. He then showed that personal
freedom and self-government follow as the
corollary OF personal responsibility. 1t NAV
be true that God has endangered the moral
order by granting freedom to His children
But those who deny equal freedom to the
exess must find fault with the Creator for
making man free and not with those who in
slst upon carrying out the divine ideal.
whenever government puts a race under the
pan as In the case Of slavery. or a country
as in the denial of English rights to Ireland,
or sex as in the refusal OF equal suf-
frage, she violates Gods method of govern
ing the race and her order runs to tyranny
Order and the safety of the community are
preserved by making all restrictions uni
yersal to persons in the same circumstances.
We may limit suffrage to all of certain age !;
we may forbid all alike to steal, &c. But
when the privileges and responsibilities of
education or religion or participation in the
government are denied to a race or sex as
such, then freedom is outraged and even
order is endangered. Mr.. Bashford then
claimed as advantages to be gained by
woman suffrage, equal wages with men for
equal work; that you cannot rate woman as
q subordinate and treat her as an equal;
mat the vote OF pure women is needed to
help the vote of good men in carving out
great reforms. The progress of the
world has been steadily towards greater and
greater freedom, and this movement
viii not close until woman is given the bal